


In A Sunlit Paradise

by azureheavens



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Pokemon AU, Touchy-Feely, a reference to that one area convo in the fast food place, you know the one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 13:28:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18366956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azureheavens/pseuds/azureheavens
Summary: Arisa works at the front desk of the daycare center, with Tae as one of the caregivers. Arisa finds as many reasons to dislike the job as Tae finds reasons to love it.





	In A Sunlit Paradise

**Author's Note:**

> AriTae was my first fav Bandori ship (and they still cute), and I realized my ao3 doesn't have nearly enough Bandori fics than it should. In trying to think of something unique to do with them, Pokemon came to mind!

“Thank you for coming in! We’ll look after your-” Arisa hesitated. The Caterpie in her arms trilled curiously at her. “Your... Buttface while you’re gone!”

The ten-year-old boy in front of her grinned, shouldered his pack, and sped out the door. He was in a hurry, for whatever reason, but the new silence of the room suffocated her. Outside she heard cries of various Pokémon, but the stillness in the front office of the daycare edged at her nerves. She rested the Caterpie beside her on the desk. She clenched her hands in fists.

“Buttface… Buttface?!” Arisa shouted to the air. The Bonsly at her side, Ushigome, jumped. “What kind of trainer gives their Pokémon a nickname like that?! It’s terrible! Who goes into battle yelling ‘Go! Buttface!’ and expects to be taken seriously?!” Arisa smacked her head with her palm.

Buttface. Such a name she should expect from a ten-year-old. How parents let their kids run around unattended, she would never get. Arisa was fifteen, but she at least had the sense to give her Pokémon a REAL name. Calmer now, she reached a hand to her weepy little partner and stroked her head. Ushigome was just hatched, and probably wasn’t used to her explosive temper.

“I know I need the money, but this job…” Arisa’s head fell to her chest. “At this rate I’ll need an early retirement, and I don’t even make that much!”

A soft voice came from the back. “Arisa..!”

She gulped. Did she hear her? Waiting to take one last look if any other fool would walk in, she headed to the enclosure out back with the Caterpie and Bonsly in tow.

Now _this_ was paradise. The charming old daycare facility reminded her of her Grandmother’s house in the backwoods. The worn fences were tall and seasoned. Berry bushes draped around them, with the housed Pokémon nibbling from them idly. Arisa felt bad for the ones she’s known since she started two months ago. No doubt their original trainers forgot about them as they roamed the region. But they seemed happy enough, thanks to another breeder, Tae Hanazono. She was Arisa’s age, but she had worked here for over two years now.

Arisa found Tae kneeling next to a Miltank with an odd eyed Buneary at her shoulder. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and draped down her back. Her apron was clean, probably because she just changed it. When Arisa approached her, she looked up at her expectantly. “Did you just finish with a customer?”

Arisa hid a frown. “Yes, we have a new charge. He’s…” The Caterpie looked up at her with piteous eyes. “Buttface.”

Tae frowned. “It’s not nice to call him names.”

“I-I’m not calling him that! The kid who owns him picked the name!”

“That’s what I meant.” Tae spoke calmly, always so opposite of Arisa. She stood up with the Buneary perfectly balanced on her shoulder. “Well either way, we’ll have to take care of him.” She leaned in to rest a hand on the Caterpie’s head, smiling. “It’s very nice to meet you, Buttface.”

Buttface trilled happily. Arisa groaned. The bug Pokémon crawled out of Arisa’s arms and into Tae's, who brought him over to the company of other bug types, including a wizened old Scyther.

“I don’t understand how you can be so calm calling him that name,” said Arisa, shaking her head.

Tae stopped and gazed up at the sky, hand at her chin. Blue clouds reflected in her steely green eyes. “His trainer must have some reason to call him Buttface. Or they’re just immature. Taking it out on him wouldn’t be fair.”

“That-! Makes enough sense…” Arisa’s cheeks burned as she glanced to the side. Ushigome at her feet chirped questioningly. Unable to think of what else to say, she turned away and went to care for the Pokémon on the other side.

Days at the daycare were often like this. They were peaceful, which Arisa liked, except when the Pokémon were rowdy and missed their trainers. Arisa was pretty good at calming them down, but nowhere as good as Tae. She saw everything as sensical, even when it was far from it. She was sometimes as unintelligible as the Pokémon themselves, but in that was her super power.

Arisa glanced behind her. Tae spoke calmly to the Caterpie, introducing him to some of the flying type neighbors so he knew not to be scared. Her smile was easy, reassuring.

Arisa fought the smile tugging at her lips. She turned back, helping a Sunflora scrub under its leaves with a sweet smelling sponge. Arisa could only show a similar side to grass types. She hoped to translate it over to other ones, but it hadn’t gone well. She got in arguments with the fire types, got annoyed with the dark types. One time she _swore_ an Aipom was mimicking her as she tried to convince a Litten down from a tree. But with her Vileplumes, Pansages, and Cottonees she found peace. She even befriended a Sudowoodo, whose egg she raised into Ushigome.

Ushigome was shy, but she was very friendly and smart. Arisa had no idea these adorable things were rock types until Tae mentioned she shouldn’t try to water them. Once she got over her embarrassment, she did everything she could to learn more about them. Ushigome recoiled when the Sunflora cheerfully shook off some of the excess moisture but was quick to forgive when it offered apology.

Arisa giggled, hiding her smile behind the sponge. “Ah, you’re so cute…!”

“Yes, Ushigome is very cute!”

Arisa nearly inhaled the sponge. She whirled around. Tae leaned over Arisa’s shoulder with the Buneary on her head. “What are you thinking?!” Arisa squawked. ”Sneaking up like that!”

Tae tilted her head. “I was talking to you earlier, but you didn’t answer. I wanted to see why.”

Ushigome hid behind Arisa’s knee. “Still, don’t startle me like that! Y-you scared Ushigome…”

Tae squatted and held out a hand. “Are you scared?”

Ushigome squeaked and hid even more.

Tae laughed, a sound that surprised Arisa with it’s softness. “Looks like you really trust Arisa.”

Arisa blushed. She waved her hand. “Okay, well, I’m listening now. Did you need something?” She forced her tone to sound pleasant.

“I was just saying what a wonderful place to work this is.”

“It is…?”

Tae nodded, straightening herself out as she stood. “The breeze is very sweet here with all the berry trees. The owners did a great job making sure every type had somewhere to enjoy themselves.”

Arisa looked around. A Machoke and a Timburr lazed in the sun, while a Flechinder roosted in the trees. The unfortunately named Caterpie loved wriggling around in the grass. Just past a gate was a pond for Duckletts, Lotads, and Surskits. Passersby always stopped to watch the Pokémon as they played. Even some of their trainers stopped by check up on them, or check them out for good.

“Even us humans can find something to enjoy about being here,” Tae continued.

Arisa nodded quietly. “Yeah, it can be fun… But it can be chaotic, too!”’

“Just the way some of the Pokémon like it. It keeps everything feeling energic. Sometimes it makes me want to nap in the sun with them.”

“You just said it was full of energy, yet you want to nap?” Arisa shook her head, smirking. “Those are two opposite feelings, you know.”

“Mhm, but they’re my feelings.”

Feelings… Arisa scooped up Ushigome and stood next to Tae. The Bonsly stared at the Buneary. The Buneary stared back. He hopped over to Tae’s other shoulder, peering from beneath her hair. Arisa held up Ushigome so they could get acquainted.

Tae smiled. “I think she and Oddie will be friends.”

Ushigome sneezed, then started crying. Oddie flinched, then murmured reassurance to the weeping creature.

“Looks like they’ll have a long way to go,” said Arisa. She looked her coworker over. Tae grinned wistfully at the two small Pokémon. That same soft look made Arisa a little wistful herself. Soon several questions sprung to her mind. Where did Tae grow up? How did she stay so calm? And why did Arisa even care to ask?

Tae noticed Arisa staring. Arisa flinched, and drew herself away and Ushigome away. Oddie cooed sadly, having his new friend taken from him. But Tae didn’t say anything. She simply stared back, starting to lean in.

“H-hey,” Arisa said, leaning away. “Sorry for staring, but… You don’t need to get so close.”

“Ears…”

“…What?”

“Your hair.” Tae nodded to Arisa’s pigtails. “They look soft, just like Oddie’s ears.” Oddie perked up at the mention of his name. Arisa was about to shoo herself form this odd turn of conversation when it got even weirder: “Can I touch them?” Tae asked.

Arisa’s face grew redder than a shiny Metapod. “Huh?! No way!”

Tae whimpered, pouting her lips. “Can’t I? Just for a little bit.”

Her eyebrow twitching, Arisa couldn’t imagine how far Tae’s mind had to leap to come to that conclusion. Her first answer should have been enough, but Tae held her gaze. Her long, slender fingers fidgeted in front of her. Though Tae would be bored of the idea soon, she wasn’t letting go of this one.

“Ugh, alright. But you get only ten seconds.”

“Thirty, please.”

“F-fine! Thirty! No more than that!”

Tae, pleased, reached to Ushigome and set her down on the ground. Oddie hopped from Tae’s head on down as well, insistent on showing his new friend his favorite play place. Arisa twitched. Things were getting too private, but she kept her face a stone wall, bracing herself for weirdness.

Soon, Tae’s fingers traced softly down the sides of her hair. It wasn’t too bad at first, but it was still odd to be stroked like she was some pet Eevee. Tae didn’t make a noise, just sighed contently as she played with her curls.

Arisa’s face burned, though her expression stayed even. Now Tae’s fingers were more tangled in her tresses, sending soft tingles up her roots. It was like a massage. Not one she asked for, not one she wanted, but also not one she wanted to stop.

Oh no, her timer. How long had it been?! “28, 29, 30, stop! Stop, you’re done!” Arisa pulled herself free, Tae’s fingers sifting effortlessly through the ends.

“Thirty more seconds,” Tae begged, taking a step.

“No way!” Arisa smoothed her apron, stuck out her lip and strutted away. “I have to get back to the front!”

Tae now ran her fingers through her own hair, a dreamy expression on her face. “I can let you feel my hair, too, if you want.”

“That is _not_ what I want at all!” Arisa stomped back to the front office, forgetting to grab Ushigome. She slammed herself down to her chair and propped herself up like a statue. The only noise now was the clicking of the Hoothoot clock on the wall. She forced herself to breath. Every five ticks, she took a breath. By the next five, she let it go. Now she was back to the idle boredom that was her life.

Arisa started rolling some of the lower strands of hair between her finger. It did feel nice, weird as the experience was. And Tae’s touch was smooth and gentle, though annoyingly insistent.

Soon Ushigome waddled  through the doors and up to her trainer’s feet, with Oddie following behind. Arisa stared at them, before sighing and reaching down to pick her up. The Buneary hopped right on the counter to sit with them, tilting his head at Arisa.

“No, I’m not letting you feel my hair, too,” she said flatly.

Ushigome chirped on her lap. Oddie sat with his stubby rabbit legs dangling off the edge, now engrossed in a conversation with the Bonsly that Arisa couldn’t even begin to comprehend. Arisa propped her head up on her elbow and sighed, absentmindedly combing her hair with her fingers.

 _Even us humans can find something to enjoy about being here,_ Tae had said. She was right. Arisa had a terrible feeling Tae would be right about a lot of things to come.


End file.
